Editing: Beta Reader Tips
Hello! I know it’s been a long time since I made an original post on this blog, but since I’ve been on the hunt for a good beta reader for several months now, I thought it would be a good time to make a “tips” masterpost for finding a good BR and how to be a good BR.
What is a Beta Reader?
In case anyone’s unaware, a beta reader is someone who reads an author’s unpublished manuscript and gives feedback on it BEFORE the author begins the process of self-publishing or finding a publisher, similar to beta-testers of a video game that has yet to hit the market. Beta readers are especially important for those who are trying to find a publishing company/literary agent to represent them, because oftentimes agents and companies receive so many manuscripts a day that they’ll only take the best of the best. This means that a writer wants their manuscript to be the most polished that it can possibly be.
A beta reader, therefore, is a trusted person that reads an author’s manuscript and edits it both for spelling/grammatical mistakes and to give critiques of the actual content of the book. If we’re continuing the video game analogy, this is similar to a beta-tester looking for bugs in a game and reporting back to the developer to get them fixed. Beta readers are usually unpaid, but this depends on the situation.
Tips and Tricks
Before you find a beta reader, you want to make sure that your manuscript is in the best condition it can possibly be. The fewer mistakes the beta reader has to point out, the better.
Since beta readers are unpaid, it may be hard to find someone willing to read your work. But there are some traits that, ideally, your beta reader could exhibit.
Possible criterion for a beta reader:
· They are someone you trust. One of the scariest things about finding a beta reader is the act of giving them unpublished, possibly uncopyrighted work and asking them to read it for you. You want to make sure that you have somebody you trust not to steal your work or give it to someone else.
· They are someone with writing/editing experience. In a perfect world, perhaps you know/can find somebody who is also a writer or—better yet—has worked in a publishing environment and knows what agents/publishing companies are looking for. If not, that’s okay; you can also reach out to fellow writers, or even just avid readers who’ve read enough books to know what works and what doesn’t.
· They’re in your target market. When writing something that’s intended to be sold, authors usually need to pander to a certain market, i.e. people of a certain age range or with interest in a certain genre that you’re hoping will buy the book. If you’re writing a teen romance novel, your market would be teenagers; if you’re writing a fantasy novel with a middle-aged character, your market is adult nerdy types; etc. So when you’re searching for a beta reader, it would be prudent to find someone within your target market to read it, because their opinion would be more valuable. A seventeen-year-old girl’s opinion of your paranormal drama would probably be more reflective of your audience than an elderly man’s.
· They have the time, interest, and energy to read and edit your work quickly and thoroughly. Sometimes you may have the perfect reader lined up, but they’re too busy with other things to commit the time needed to read your work well. You don’t want to be waiting weeks and weeks for their latest feedback on Chapter 1.
· They double as a sensitivity reader. Not every writer needs these, but a sensitivity reader is a reader who is screening your work to make sure it isn’t insensitive toward or incorrect about a certain subject or group of people, such as your portrayal of gay or disabled characters, or your description of active combat. This is usually necessary for authors that are writing about a subject they aren’t familiar with or don’t experience, such as a white writer writing about racism or islamophobia. Someone that does experience and understand these subjects would be a good sensitivity reader, and could save your story from being misrepresented in the long run.
So, with all these ideas in mind, here are a few of the best ways to find capable, willing betas:
· Ask your loved ones. Friends and family are a good go-to for this sort of work. They’re trustworthy, they (usually) won’t demand payment, and they (hopefully) have interest in your work and are willing to help you succeed. However, if your loved ones aren’t experienced writers/readers or if they’re too busy to devote time to helping you, this might not be an option for you.
· Join a writing club or writing circle. There are plenty of these on and offline, big and small, professional and casual. Plenty can be found on college campuses, in libraries, or on Facebook pages or Tumblr blogs. These tight-knit communities of writers usually exist to help each other improve their work and collaborate on projects.
· Contact an advertised professional. Lots of people on and off the Internet (but mostly on) advertise their skills as editors and are happy to help other writers out. Some may ask for payment, but there are plenty that don’t. You just need to be mindful of their experience (lots of people may say that they’re great writers, but you may not think so) and how trustworthy they are.
· Simply advertise your need for help. This works best on social media, but if you announce that your manuscript is ready to be edited, there’s a good chance at least a few people will offer to read it for you, whether you know them personally or not. You should always evaluate how committed they will be, though, and consider whether or not their advice would be a good fit for your book. And, as always, you should consider their trustworthiness.
In the event that you do find someone interested in being a beta reader, but you want to make sure they’d be a good fit, here are a few things you can ask them:
· Are you willing to share your contact information with me?
· Have you written or edited anything before?
· If so, could I read it?
· How much free time do you normally have that you could devote to reading my manuscript?
· Are you interested in this genre/this type of writing/etc.?
If you like the person you’ve found and you think they’re a good fit, there’s also a few ground rules you should establish before letting them read your work.
· Make it very clear that if you discover that they’re stealing/copying your original work, they will be dealt with accordingly. (This may not apply if you already know the person or if you’re paying them, but it’s always good to establish rules, even if they don’t seem necessary.)
· Establish how you’ll give them your work, how you’d like them to give their comments, etc. Some beta readers will prefer to have a paper copy of your work to annotate by hand; some may find it more convenient to read it and edit it electronically. Some authors may prefer to give readers their whole manuscript at once; some may prefer a chapter-by-chapter basis. Discussing this beforehand is the best way to have a smooth working experience with your beta reader.
· Vocalize what you’re looking for in your beta reader. Perhaps you just want someone to look for small mistakes and point out certain plot devices that don’t work, but some authors want more specific advice. If you’d like your reader to give feedback on certain scenes or plot devices that they’re unsure about or read a character for authenticity, you should tell them that. This is especially important if your beta reader is also a sensitivity reader.
Once all of this is established, you’re set to go on letting your beta reader edit your work for you. Some writers may want to find multiple readers to get more feedback from a wider range of sources. In cases like these, it’s good to find different types of people to read your work, because they may notice different things.
For example, my novel is a satirical drama/romance about a gay couple of two men; therefore, I may want to search for a male reader, because I’m a female and I want to make sure my male characters are relatable; an avid teenage reader, because that’s my target audience; and an avid older reader, just to see if my novel appeals to those beyond my target audience. (I may have also wanted to find a homosexual reader, but because I’m not straight I didn’t think that necessary.)
Anyway, now that all of that has been established, I hope all of you have an easier time finding beta readers to read your story. Don’t be afraid to take the next step to getting published! Happy writing!
